The verdict announced Thursday of a 6-month sentence suspended for three years will allow Kelly to return to the
Kelly, who appeared calm during the court session, said afterward that he was stunned by the verdict.
“I have always acted in the best interests of Nissan, and I have never been involved in an unlawful act,” said Kelly, who is planning to head back to
The court acquitted Kelly on some counts but found him guilty of charges for just one of the eight years for which the compensation allegedly was under-reported. The defense team said that was unacceptable.
“Kelly is completely innocent. We cannot accept the erroneous ruling that found him guilty for that final year,” the defense, headed by
Kelly was arrested in
The trial at
During Thursday’s session, Chief judge
Shimotsu said Ghosn made an arrangement for his compensation that was “conducted solely out of his personal greed.”
“There is absolutely no room for extenuating circumstances in his motive,” he said.
Ghosn called the judgement a “save-face verdict” for the prosecutors and other Nissan executives that he accuses of colluding against him, Kelly,
“I am relieved for Greg and his family,” Ghosn said in a Zoom call with a small group of reporters.
Ghosn denied allegations that he conspired with another Nissan executive,
”This story is far from finished. Justice is far from rendered,” said Ghosn.
Prosecutors had asked that Kelly be sentenced to two years in prison. They alleged Ghosn, Kelly and
During the trial, the prosecution presented as evidence various documents calculating Ghosn’s so-called “deferred compensation.” Nissan pleaded guilty and paid a
Shimotsu, the judge, acknowledged the evidence did not connect Kelly directly with what he called a “conspiracy” by Ghosn and Ohnuma. He also said Ohnuma’s testimony was crucial but not entirely reliable because he had a plea bargain.
“His credibility deserves special attention,” Shimotsu said. “There was a danger that as an accomplice he would seek to shift responsibility to Ghosn.”
But he accused Kelly of putting Ghosn's interests before
Ghosn headed Nissan for nearly 20 years after its French alliance partner
Japanese executives are paid far less than their American counterparts. When
Kelly was released on bail and has been living with his wife in
Separately, two Americans extradited from the
Sen.
“Greg is coming home,” said Hagerty. “Greg has been subjected to circumstances corporate America could never contemplate. What should have been a corporate board room discussion landed in the
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